So Close in Christchurch
The crowds piled into Ngā Puna Wai Sports Hub for Ōtautahi Christchurch’s first ever home game, teal Matatū flags waving from every possible angle.
More than 1300 people turned out for the occasion, when the South Island’s Super Rugby Aupiki team took on Hurricanes Poua in Round 2 of the 2023 competiton.
A tantalising spectacle played out over 80 minutes, the scoreboard showing 25-24 when the final whistle blew with Hurricanes Poua coming away with the win.
As the crowd filled the field to meet their heroes, disappointment painted the faces of the Matatū girls. They desperately wanted to get the W at home, but were pleased to play in front of whānau and friends for the first time, after the 2022 season was all away from home.
Matatū’s Kendra Reynolds opened the scoring with a try in the 10th minute, countered in the 27th by Poua’s Ayesha Leti-l’iga. A successful penalty from Isabella Waterman in the 37th gave the Poua a 8-5 lead over their hosts – and then the late first-half show begain.
Renee Holmes dotted down two minutes later, converting her own try, before Grace Brooker crossed the line, again converted by Holmes. The score at half time – 19-8 to the locals. A rampant enthusiasm filled the grandstand as the girls returned to the sheds, the home crowd fizzing to see their team winning on home soil.
The Wellingtonian halftime chat must’ve been a good one – they came out steaming and the scoreline was 19-25 to the Poua by the 65th, following two tries from debutant Autumn-Rain Stephens-Daly, and Dallinger-converted try from Joanah Ngan-Woo.
A try from Renee Holmes in the 70th made for a tense final ten, but in the end it wasn’t meant to be for Matatū, and the Poua walked away with points.
“Obviously there’s disappointment,” said Blair Baxter, Matatū Head Coach.
“We didn’t put on the display we wanted in front of our home crowd here in Ōtautahi.”
Baxter said despite the result, the team would “learn so much from this game” and there was some “exceptional stuff out there”.
“We saw the growth of our attack from everyone, and you can’t fault the girls’ effort, which is a big part of what we are about at Matatū.
“We saw how dominant our set piece can be, so improvements there could have really changed the game.”
Emma Dermody pulled on the jersey for the first time, her family travelling up from Southland for the occasion.
Her family weren’t the only ones in full voice among the crowd. Baxter said the coaches could feel the noise and excitement throughout the match – the team’s first in Christchurch and at Ngā Puna Wai.
“As the team ran off at half time, that was a cool moment. The fans were cheering and the girls’ hearts would’ve skipped a beat.
“There’s such momentum for Matatū, so despite the reuslt it was just cool to show off ourselves and our brand in front of our fans and our whānau.”
Now it’s time to build off the learnings and “a bit of homework” ahead of a faceoff with the Chiefs Manawa in Hamilton on 11 March.
Baxter: “The Chiefs had another great game; they’ve got a good forward pack and backs that are exciting, so multiple threats like any team in Super Rugby Aupiki.”